Espanyol vs Villarreal Predictions

Jon Wilde 14 Jan 2019

Espanyol host Villarreal in the Copa del Rey on Thursday
We are backing Espanyol to advance to the quarter-finals
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Espanyol vs Villarreal Match Prediction

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Draw 5/2

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Espanyol vs Villarreal Match Info

Date: Thursday January 17 2019
Kick-off time: 7.30pm GMT
Venue: RCDE Stadium
Referee: Pablo Gonzalez Fuertes

Espanyol vs Villarreal Head-To-Head Record

Last 4 matches

January 9 2019 (Copa del Rey): Villarreal 2-2 Espanyol
October 7 2018: Espanyol 3-1 Villarreal

February 18 2018: Espanyol 1-1 Villarreal
September 21 2017: Villarreal 0-0 Espanyol

Espanyol vs Villarreal Stats

None of the last eight matches between these clubs has resulted in an away win
Villarreal have not won in their last five visits to Espanyol
But four of those matches ended as draws

Espanyol vs Villarreal Match Preview

Villarreal are surprisingly in serious relegation trouble from La Liga Primera Division this season and look likely to suffer a Copa del Rey exit on Thursday.

The Yellow Submarine finished in the top six of the Spanish top-flight table in each of the previous five campaigns, but are now in danger of going down to the Segunda Division like they did in 2011-12.

A cup run could be a distraction for Luis Garcia Plaza’s side, who are four points from safety, but they showed plenty of fight to score twice in the final five minutes through Karl Toko Ekambi and Carlos Bacca last week and draw 2-2 with Espanyol in the first leg of this tie.

The problem for Villarreal is that they simply draw too many games – exactly half of their 28 matches this term in all competitions have finished all-square, but at least remaining unbeaten in the Europa League group stage meant they can look forward to a tie next month against Sporting Lisbon.

Espanyol, meanwhile, started the season very promisingly, but a run of six consecutive league defeats has tempered enthusiasm for their prospects and meant they fell away from being potential contenders for a surprise top-four finish.

However, their two goals from Sergi Darder and Alex Lopez on the journey south last week have put them in pole position to qualify here and while it may only be on the away-goals rule, Espanyol are expected to take their place among the last eight.

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